Dominican Tourism » Uncategorized

Energy issues in tourism sector

admin — Sat, 10 May 2008 05:03:03 +0000

The chief executives of the National Association of Hotels and Restaurants (Asonahores) broke their fast with editors of El Caribe newspaper yesterday morning. Their conversation focused on the serious issues facing Dominican tourism in the current energy crisis. Luis Lopez and Arturo Villanueva explained that energy accounts for 20% of the cost of a room at all major hotels or resorts. The energy factor also contributes to the level of competitiveness of Dominican tourism offerings versus what other nations have to offer.

If local hotels and resorts purchase energy from local providers, they are paying US$0.24 cents a kilowatt-hour, but our major competitors are paying half or less that price for the same amount of energy. According to both executives, efforts to purchase energy directly from the providers have met with stiff resistance from the electricity distributors.

In another series of comments, Villanueva remarked on the need to finish some of the basic infrastructure projects, such as the Tourism Corridor which is designed to prevent the creation of slum areas near tourist areas, as has occurred in Puerto Plata to the detriment of that destination. Such a corridor would provide safety for the tourist and allow for adjacent areas to prosper from the tourist trade.

Source: Dr1.com

Old rocks, new tourism

admin — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 05:50:58 +0000

Scientists working in the Central Mountains near Jarabacoa have discovered rocks dating back 160 or 170 million years, containing chromium, silver and platinum. The rocks also come from the Pacific Ocean. As a result, according to Diario Libre, a new type of tourism, scientific tourism, could develop as a result.

The project that found the rocks was part of an initiative by the Ministry of Science and Education from Spain, and included Javier Escuder-Viruete from Spain and Cristina Thomen from the Dominican Republic Mining Board, and Eusebio Lopera Caballero, the chief researcher for the Spanish ministry and the leader of the Sysmin project for the DR.

The project will provide a geological map of the Dominican Republic by 2010. The rocks found in Jarabacoa are similar to rocks found in Costa Rica and California. According to the researchers, the country “is a natural laboratory for the study of sedimentary processes and rock formation”. This, according to the scientists, could attract a new type of tourist to the island.

Source: Dr1.com

Dominican regions languish for lack of legal framework, Tourism chief says

admin — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 04:09:31 +0000

SANTO DOMINGO. – “Miches has some of the most beautiful beaches but we haven’t been able to develop it because it doesn’t have a road,” said Tourism minister Felix Jimenez today, to stress the need for what he sees are 19 provinces in need of infrastructure for development.

He said those areas await the approval of the bill which creates the Tourist Development Institute (Indetur), with which tourism would be developed, including the rebuilding of their beaches.

Speaking in the Channel 9 program Hoy Mismo, the official said as part of Indetur’s functions the road to Miches would be built, and link that now isolated town with the Bavaro-Punta Cana region and Sabana de la Mar.

In that regard, Hotels and Restaurants Association (ASONAHORES) president Luis Lopez said Indetur would also serve to promote tourism within the Nation competitive plan, to include the improved safety and health of tourists.

He said his entity has requested the professionalism of personnel, promotion of the industry, infrastructure, and cleanup of the sprawl around tourism resorts, which the legislative initiative would solve.

Jimenez, to urge the deputies to pass the bill, noted that Dominican Republic has US$8 billion in tourism development projects for next the five years, although almost half of those funds await infrastructure works which he said figure in the National Tourism Competitiveness Plan.

“There are 19 provinces which have been waiting for more than a year for the Chamber of Deputies to at his moment, approve what needed only one session in the Senate, for their awareness of the need to motor Dominican Republic’s best tourist development,” he said, adding that the lack of a highway to Miches have made impossible to develop its beaches, with more than US$500 million in paralyzed projects.

Source: DominicanToday.com